Mitch Marner makes his feelings known about facing rival Ottawa Senators amidst slumping performance

Mitch Marner knows the Ottawa Senators will be a tough opponent. The Toronto Maple Leafs (39-23-3) will host the Senators (35-25-5) on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena. Ottawa has won both games against Toronto this season: 3–0 on Nov. 12 and 2–1 on Jan. 25.

On Friday, NHL insider Terry Koshan shared Marner’s thoughts on X. Marner said Ottawa has been improving for years and plays with skill and hard work:

"That team has been coming for the last two or three years. You knew they were going to eventually get through that barrier. They have a lot of skill over there, they have a lot of work ethic."

Brady Tkachuk and William Nylander are key players to watch. Both have six points in their last five games. Tkachuk leads Ottawa with 27 goals, while Nylander has 35 assists for Toronto. Joseph Woll is expected to start in goal for Toronto. Ottawa may start Linus Ullmark.

Marner has 21 goals and 59 assists in 64 games this season. He ranks seventh in league scoring with 80 points. He plays on the right wing with John Tavares and Bobby McMann. However, the Leafs have lost four out of their last five games.

Marner is in the final year of his six-year, $65.4 million contract and is awaiting an extension.

Mitch Marner’s contract talks with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Mitch Marner’s contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs will expire on July 1. NHL analyst Carlo Colaiacovo believes Marner wants to stay but only if he becomes the highest-paid player on the team.

Speaking on the "1st Up" podcast on Monday, Colaiacovo said:

“I truly do believe that Mitch Marner wants to be a Maple Leaf for the rest of his life, but he also wants to be the highest-paid Maple Leaf. That’s what I’m led to believe, just because of how this whole contract is playing out right now.”

Marner has not discussed a contract extension during the season. His agent, Darren Ferris, has chosen to wait until free agency.

NHL insider David Pagnotta reports that Marner wants a deal worth $104 million over eight years. This would mean an average of $13 million per season. His contract could come close to or even pass Auston Matthews’ $13.25 million annual cap hit.

“The expectation remains that Mitch Marner will hit free agency this summer,” Pagnotta reported. “He’s seeking a competitive contract starting at $104 million over eight years.”

Earlier, when asked about his future, Marner did not give a clear answer to the media.